Show WHAT WEEKS WEEK'S W MEAN By y J. J 4 W. W T. T MASON Written Written for Ul the United ed Press NEW YORK TORK Oct 16 Reconsideration of ot the allies' allies Initial plan to use Greece as the principal pal base of ot operations operations operations opera opera- in the Balkans has become apparent nt this week The fate tate of ot Serbia the original cause of ot the war is not of ot sufficient importance to the western allies to warrant them running grave risks for tor the benefit of Russia's shattered Balkan prestige Instead therefore of ot concentrating their attention on I the rescue of ot the Serbians the London Paris and Rome governments are engaged in searching for tor the most ef effectual effectual effectual ef- ef line Une of or communications between Hungary and Constantinople This line Une must run at least miles mUes There are three ways whereby the western powers can either prevent its formation or pierce It after the line Une has been est established The first way is by operating through Greece Into Serbia the second Is s by throwing an army into Bulgaria from the Aegean coast the third Is by y invading European Turkey also from the Aegean side The Greek governments government's attitude pf pt benevolence towards the allies allieS' gives no promise of ot permanence and under this condition it is apparent the Idea of using as a base is not wholly relished by the entente nations A pause therefore has occurred in the progress progress progress' of ot military measures to combat comba the new Teutonic of ot- ot If Jt the allies decide they must protect themselves themselves themselves them them- selves against possible treachery at Athens then it is practically certain Serbia will be left len to her fate and the main battles to prevent the Germans Austro-Germans from reaching Constantinople will be fought In Bulgaria or Thrace Russia's ability to participate in the Balkan conflict depends upon the passage of a Slav army through Rumanian Rumanian Rumanian Ru Ru- manian territory The ferrying of ot Russian troops across the Black sea to the Bulgarian n be considered Impossible Otherwise Russia would have attempted by bv this to send an army into European Turkey If It h the western allies I succeed in marching through Bulgaria IhS from A the 6 Aegean side it U Is well within the Possibilities that Rumania will wUl W be 1 temPted no not only to place her but railways t at the 6 disposal of the Russian general staff also to o enter the war against to Bulgaria herself herselt In ti t that event Greece would almost certainly Join Rumania The Balkan situation n therefore may change with It startling start start- ling suddenness In th the end the may be corn com pS In a large part ot of Serbia while Bulgaria prostrated throws herself on n the thc mercy of the quadruple entente The b Teutonic operations in Serbia have been tan curtailed curtailed cur cur- tailed during the week The Drina and Save campaigns have disappeared from the official reports Marshal Von Mackensen's sole objective has now become the route through eastern Serbia to Bulgaria Ills his progress has been slow but consistent The have scattered their attacks during the week over half halt a dozen points They are now apparently concentrating anew in an effort to effect a Junction with the Germans Austro-Germans as speedily as Possible Their chief objective which was Isolated the temporary Serbian capital seems to have been abandoned for the present The withdrawal of Teutonic troops from Russia has permitted the Slavs Slave this week to threaten the Invaders' Invaders lines at both ends of or the eastern battle e front Marshal Von has suffered a break at one section of his trenches and in eastern Galicia there have been further further fur fur- ther retirements of the Teutonic forces However no serious alarm can as yet be felt in Berlin for the general safety of ot the Russian campaign but it is becoming apparent apparent ap ap- ap- ap parent that much danger would attend the withdrawal of ot many more units from the eastern front Minor engagements have occurred during the week In Champagne and Artois Slight gains and lOSS losses s h have ve resulted among the three belligerents which tend tenet to equalize each other There has been no indication that the allies ames are planning to resume their major malor offensive |